A ceremony will be held Friday, June 21, at 2:30 p.m. to celebrate the naming of Interstate 471 in honor of the late Jim Bunning, a U.S. Senator and Major League Baseball Hall of Famer from Southgate.
Jim Bunning, Phillies pitcher
Senate Joint Resolution 44, sponsored by Senator Wil Schroder (R-Wilder), directs the Transportation Cabinet to designate Interstate 471 as the Jim Bunning Memorial Highway.
The event will be held at the Southgate Community Center, 301 West Walnut Street, Southgate. It is open to the public
A beloved member of the community, Sen. Bunning served in many levels of government. From his beginnings with the Fort Thomas City Council to the Kentucky State Senate, to eventually serving in both chambers of the U.S. Congress, he was dedicated to serving the people of Kentucky.
Sen. Schroder, a friend of the Bunnings, recalled the Baseball Hall-of-Famer’s dedication.
“Jim Bunning once said, ‘I have never cared if I stood alone in Congress, as long as I stood by my beliefs and my values.’”
“Following an outstanding career in Major League Baseball, Senator Bunning stuck to his roots in Congress and led with a steadfast heart,” Schroder added. “The memory of his wisdom and unwavering leadership remains an inspiration to Kentuckians across the Commonwealth.”
Jim Bunning, U.S. Senator
Representative Joe Fischer (R-Fort Thomas) and Southgate Mayor Jim Hamberg also spoke in support.
“I can think of no public servant in the Commonwealth more deserving of this recognition than Senator Jim Bunning,” Representative Joe Fischer said. “The dedication of I-471 in Senator Bunning’s name will serve as a fitting remembrance of Jim’s life, legacy, and commitment to his faith, family, and community for generations to come.”
“Senator Bunning firmly stuck to his beliefs and lived a life of faith and humility,” said Mayor Jim Hamberg.
“He never forgot that Southgate was his home. With the support of his community and loved ones, it is fitting that we honor him, on the 55th anniversary of his first no-hitter on Father’s Day 1964, with the naming of I-471 as the Baseball Hall of Famer and U.S. Senator Jim Bunning Memorial Highway.”
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See Billy Reed’s tribute to Jim Bunning published by the NKyTribune on his death in 2017.
